Life as we knew it
by JaguarWolf
Summary: I wrote this story using characters, ideas, and settings from S.E. Hintons novel The Outsiders. I DO NOT own The Outsiders or any of the Original characters. My characters are Renee and Dean. Hopefully you enjoy this. Please leave reviews. Thank you.
1. Chapter 1

Life as we Knew It

Chapter 1: Fresh Start: Growth

I had promised him yesterday that I would pick him up from school on his first day, and as of right now I was running late. I needed to be there in ten minutes, but I didn't have a car and was almost seven blocks from his high school. He was gonna kill me if I didn't show up, mostly cause he didn't know how to get home.

We moved this past weekend, which was difficult in itself. I couldn't afford movers; so, we had to pack all our stuff, sell things we couldn't keep, rent a truck, load the truck, unload the truck, and on top of that, get Dean ready for his first day of high school. Thank moon that my mother's brother and my cousin helped us out some. This weekend was as close to hectic as anything could get. This was a lot harder because we were trying to deal with Grandmother Akonna's death as well.

I closed the record books and grabbed my jacket from the closet. I locked up and headed toward the school, he's gonna be upset, I could feel it. I broke out in a sweat as I reached the corner of the second block, it was pretty humid out for August. Wiping sweat off my forehead with my sleeve, I headed past Sharon's Diner. We used to eat there all the time; Sharon was real nice. She would let me and my brother play pool as long as we wanted, but it wasn't like Dean was any good anyway. Sharon's husband, Blake, taught me how to play real good. I missed them a bunch. Maybe I would stop by and say hello one of these days.

I was three blocks away now and five minutes late. I felt my shirt sticking to my back, damn. I was going to have to dry clean this one too. I decided that I'm gonna keep an extra set of cloths at work, or I'm gonna get sweat all over my nice blouses and pants every time I have to go out. I watched a mustang roar down the road with music blaring and no care for any stop signs. One of these days, someone was gonna die because of them. I have seen them around a lot near the office. I worry that one day they won't just wiz past.

I rounded the corner and saw the big old building standing there like some important government office. There were so many people; it was real intimidating. Kids were standing around talking, kids getting on and off buses, kids sitting on the rails, kids just…everywhere. Most were the upper class folk, folks that didn't like my people. Most wouldn't even think that I was a Native. Not to blow my own horn, but I had "flawless caramel beige skin" as Sharon had told me once. That's because my father was white, and my mother was Native, so it just looked like I had a really good tan.

I didn't see Dean anywhere; I hope nothing happened to him. Dean was on the darker side, and his features were a little sharper, more like mom; I envied him, he just didn't know. I have watched American High School movies and the first year were always bullied. I walked up to the stairs, hoping that he would be near there somewhere. But he wasn't, taking a deep breath I walked inside the school. I got a few stares from girls, more like sneers really. I am used to it so, I wasn't really phased, it's as if they smelled something bad. I headed towards the main office to see if he was there or if they knew where he was.

There was an older, librarian looking lady at the front desk. She seemed approachable and kind, with blond gray hair, tan glasses with a silver chain and a very nicely made cardigan. How was she wearing that she was still burning up standing there. She looked up as I approached and a welcoming smile spread across her face, "Hello Dear, did you need something?"

"Hello Ma'am, My name is Renee Harding, my brother enrolled here today. I was wondering where he was, he was supposed to meet me outside about fifteen minutes ago."

"What is his name?"

"Dean Harding, 9th grade" I fidgeted with my collar, it sure was getting uncomfortable in here.

"Oh yes, His math teacher came to me at lunch, he said he will be testing for a grade higher because he did very well in his preliminary math exams"

"Oh, ok, do I just wait here or can I go to his class room?" I was relieved; he was doing something productive, something good. He wasn't lying somewhere hurt. I had taught him math, it was one of my best subjects even though I loved English more.

"You can wait in here dear, "She said with a slight nod towards the chairs.

I noticed three boys slouched in the chairs as if they didn't want to be there, maybe they got in trouble. They were staring at me, but when I looked over they hurriedly looked away. It's as if I was some carnival attraction really. I ignored it, lifted my chin a little and went to go sit down in the only seat left, the one right between the really greasy haired one and the second greasy haired one.

Funny thing was, all three of the boys had really greasy hair. It was as if they slathered coconut oil all over their hair like the women did in the Res to help with hair growth. One had a real mean look to him, as if he would cut me if I went near him, thank goodness I didn't have to sit next to him. He looked the other way as I approached, but the other two who I had to sit next to ogled at me. The boy in the white shirt next to the mean looking boy was very handsome, like movie star handsome. He would be perfect for some prince movie or I don't know some romance movie in France. He would sweep the girl off her feet and they would live happily ever after. I haven't really been to France, I didn't know too much except what I read in school and all my romance novels.

The boy who would be sitting on the other side of me grinned real wide, as if showing all his teeth was some mating call here. He wore a grey cut off shirt with a big face with big ears on it and dark blue jeans, there wasn't anything too remarkable about him, just his big ole silly grin. I had my keys in my back pocket, wallet in my bra, and a knife in my boot, just in case. I sat down with my hands in my lap and legs crossed. Didn't want to give them any mixed messages, I didn't want to talk to them.

"Well hello there pretty lady, I'm Two-Bit, what's your name?"  
"It doesn't matter, please leave me alone"

"Oh come on now sugar, there ain't no need to be all mean, now is there?"

I turned and looked at him straight in the eyes, "I said, please leave me alone" moon he was gonna attack me when I leave. Shit.

"Aww Two-Bit, up to your old schemin, leave the poor girl alone"

"Aw Soda, a pretty thing like her don't know how to be nice to people" he crossed his arms and sat back in the chair leaning his head against the wall.

The one called Soda turned to me now, these punks just would not leave her be, "Hi I'm Soda-Pop, He don't mean no harm, he just don't know when to stop"

I nodded in his direction in acknowledgment. What if these boys where in Dean's class, they would pick on him if they found out they were brother and sister. Maybe I should be nice. Be nice Renee, be nice, you're not a mean person. Don't act on your fears, didn't poppa always tell you that. I heaved an enormous sigh "I'm Renee, nice to meet you"

Soda flashed a grin brighter then the sun, he was very handsome, "You new to this school, never seen you around here"

"My brother goes here, ninth grade. We just moved to the neighborhood a few blocks down" She was offering too much information, it was none of their business.

"What's his name?"

"Dean, Dean Harding"

"Oh ok, cool. I have a younger brother too, and an older one. These two right here are like my brothers too. We grew up together" He said motioning to the mean looking one and the one called Two-Bit.

I nodded and smiled a little so I didn't offend him, "Why are you guys in here?"

He gave a sheepish grin her way, running his hands through his hair, oh what I would do if we were alone. Oh my, I need to get my head out of the clouds. "Well, we kind of got in a fight, we didn't start it, it was one of those Socs, Randy's buddy, Chase something or other"

"Right" I didn't know what a Soc was, so I pretended I did. I looked forward away from the boys next to me. The next think I knew, the mean lookin boy was yellin at me. Maybe I tone of voice came out all wrong.

"Hey, don't judge us, that's all you been doing since you got here. We didn't do nothing to you, stop judging us" he spoke words that utterly stunned me. He was right. I was judging them. I was judging them before I got to know them, thinking that I was better than them, but I'm not. Thinking they were gonna attack me, when here I am the one carrying a knife. I felt guilty, oh how insensitive of me. My mother always taught me to be open and kind, and here I was treating these boys the way I was afraid to be treated.

"I, I'm sorry"

"Oh Steve, cut it out. Renee, he ain't mean nothing by it" he is a peace keeper, ain't that the sweetest. He was a sweet, handsome, peace keeper.

"No, he's right. That's what I was doing. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to." I turned forward and just waited for Dean to show up, what was taking him so long. Just as I was about to get up to go pace in the hallway, Dean and his math teacher popped their heads in the office.

" Ms. Harding?"

"Yes?" I stood to go meet them outside in the hallway, before I left, "Good luck" I said to no one in particular, and followed him outside.

"Ms. Harding, Mr. Samuth"

"Renee, nice to meet you sir"

"Renee, let me tell you, Dean here is a genius, he leveled up twice, so he will be doing 11th grade math.

"Oh wow" I looked at him, I was so proud, "that's great" I grinned wide.

"I thought I would meet with you and let you know"

"Thank you Mr. Samuth" Dean looked so proud of himself, all puffed up in his new collared shirt "Let's go mister"

He walked next to me, wanting to hold my hand I knew, but this was a new school, he didn't want people to think he was a sissy. So, we walked slowly next to each other not saying anything. We were just basking in the good news. Once we were a few blocks away from the school he grabbed my hand, still walking in silence, and we swung our arms back and forth. Something we used to do when we were younger.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: New Friends: Similarities

The house wasn't too far from the school, only three blocks, so we got home pretty quick.

"Dean, open the door with you key, I just want to make sure yours is working properly ok"

We walked into a dark, musty house filled with boxes piled on top of boxes, and cloth covered furniture. We hadn't got around to unpacking or organizing anything and the shed was filled with even more boxes. We were gonna work on it today.

Dean walked into his empty room and changed into pants and a t-shirt so he could help me clean up a little. I went to mine and changed. I hung the blouse and pants up to dry. There were multiple sweat stains from the walk home. I'm gonna have to do something about that, I can't put sweat stains on everything now.

"You ready mister?" I asked Dean as he picked a box at random

"Ready as I'll ever be"

With that we began. First we sorted the boxes. Boxes labeled kitchen went to the kitchen, boxes labeled bathroom went to the bathroom, and so on. There were so many boxes, and they were all so heavy. I was getting a real workout; I was tired already. But we really had to get this done today. All I know is, I am gonna be real sore tomorrow. Once all the boxes from the shed were brought in, we set out to unpack them. We didn't speak too much; we just knew what we had to do. He passed me stuff as I put them in the right place and then broke down a box. We then moved to the next one, not much to say really.

It was about half past five when we finished everything. All that was left was some sweeping and cleaning. "Great job baby bro" I said giving him a high five and sweaty, dirty hug. "Go take a shower ok, then my turn"

"Sure thing" he said dashing off to his room. I looked after him, he was growing up.

When we were younger, we were real close, Dean and I. Even though there were many kids our age on the Res, we always ended up being on the same page. When we moved out to the neighborhoods with our parents, nobody really talked to us, they just stared. So my brother and I stayed close. When Maa and Poppa died, we depended on each other to get through it. My mother's family and everyone one else at the Res were super helpful, but it still wasn't the same. Everyone tried to fill a space in our lives that didn't belong to them. Then when Grandmother died, it was the last straw, fiery tears and grief forced us to leave. We couldn't stay there anymore. We couldn't bear all the memories; we couldn't bear looking at all those people we loved- because one day, they would no longer be there. So it was just us now.

After taking a shower I was hoping to go about town to look for a second job, while Dean did his homework. Even though I was now the owner of my dad's trading company, the rent fee's for the building went up and with Dean now starting High School, we were going to have more expenses. I am going to need to bring in more income. Maa and Poppa made sure life for us was comfortable. Poppa owned the trading company for the Res. It gave people on the Res a job and allowed our crafts to be sold and traded to neighborhood people and to large companies. Mother was a teacher at the local community center, but she didn't make all that much, just enough to make life comfortable with the combined income. She taught history and English, my two favorite subjects.

Nostalgia overwhelmed me and a few tears escaped my eye lids, but I brushed them away quickly. I had promised myself that I would stay strong; I would stay strong for my brother, if I broke down, who would take care of him. Now was not the time.

I swept up, mopped and wiped down the furniture while Dean showered. I listened to Ned Millers- Jack to a King as I danced with the broom. Then my all time favorite, Elvis came on, and I just had to sing along- Are you lonesome tonight. By the end of the song, everything was spotless, and my heart ached for a lover. But I had to get up and keep moving. "Yes, Elvis, I am lonesome tonight" I said to myself.

After putting the sheets that covered the furniture in the laundry hamper, I crashed onto the couch. A feeling of accomplishment, a sense or serenity and freedom lingered in my conscious. I knew this house was mine, mine to take care of and mine to live in. I was only 22 years old and already I have accomplished what my father wanted me to, to be independent. Hopefully I wouldn't let him down; hopefully I could keep our lives together, at least for a little while. Oh, and by the way, I was completely worn out. I couldn't wait to take a cold shower.

Dean came out the shower rubbin at his head with a towel, "Boy you really think that's gonna dry your hair any." Dean had long hair just like Maa; it was thick and straight; it went down a little past his shoulders. He thought he looked like a girl if he let it down in public, so he had it tied back whenever he went out the house. I took the towel from his hands and told him to lean forward. Once I was done with him, his hair was no longer dripping like a leaky faucet.

"Aww sis, why you gotta be so rough for? You know that hurts my neck"

"Hush now, go ahead and begin your homework. I'm going to take me a nice cold shower."

The water rushed over me like a small water fall. I had been to one once, somewhere up north, like Michigan or something, I don't remember. Dean was just a baby then; it was just me, Maa, grandma, and a few other women from the Res. We went to go visit another Res for their Pow Wow. We took a swim in a waterfall. It was not too big, and the water rush against my skin like icicles. Ever since, I loved cold water.

I rung out my hair before stepping out the tub, I didn't want to drip everywhere. I wrapped my towel around myself and looked at myself in the mirror. Every time I looked at myself, it seemed odd to me. Is what I see what other people see? Can they see the beauty I see, or are those just illusions my people put into me. I see a petite, kind of blunt nose. I see brownish, black hip length hair. I see simple brown eyes with depth. I see full lips with just the right curve to them, leading into a slightly pointed chin. My skin was nowhere near white, but just the perfect mix of my mother and fathers skin, I was from them, made into just the perfect combination. Sighing, I opened the door, now that I was less wet I headed to my room.

I needed to wear something nice but casual at the same time. I took out a nice pair of dark blue boot cut jeans; my black cowboy boots would go great with these, and a nice white gypsy top. White was my good luck color, or at least that's what the elder woman said. I don't know why I think these things so, but I was raised to think everything had meaning, and everything you do makes an impact on the people around you, so I choose things carefully. I am controlled. At least that's what I liked to think.

"Dean, baby, I heading out. Hopefully I'll find something tonight so I don't have to go about tomorrow too." I said coming up behind him in his room. I looked over his shoulder as I watched him do his math homework. It was fifteen minutes till 7p.

"Yea, then you can start work sooner right? Will you check these for me when you get back?"

"Sure thing darling. You be good now." I trusted him. He had more common sense than any boy his age.

"You be safe, don't forget your knife." He always worries about me, just as I do about him. My sweet baby brother.

"Ok baby brother"

I grabbed the trash and boxes out the kitchen to take out to the corner so the trash truck could come pick it up tomorrow morning. I made sure to lock the door. I held the trash bags away from me, they smelled a little funny and I didn't want anything to get on my white blouse. They were pretty heavy.

Just as I closed the gate and walked out to the sidewalk I felt someone slam into my side and crush the boxes against my leg. I would have fallen if he hadn't grabbed me, "Hey watch it, what's your problem!" I yelled at him when I caught my bearings. I was angry. It wasn't like I took up all the space on the side walk, or that they couldn't frikkin watch where they were going. I noticed that I had dropped the boxes and the trash bag. I huffed and began to pick everything up, but he had grabbed them before I did.

"I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to. We were just goofing and we didn't see you there" I finally looked up at the face that was talking to me. He was young, maybe 14years, just like Dean. I felt bad for yelling at him like that. I wouldn't want anyone yelling at Dean if he accidently ran into someone

"It's ok" I said sighing and dusting myself off, "You didn't mean it." He looked up at me, finally meeting my eyes. He had gorgeous greenish gray eyes, more green it seemed. He seemed so familiar, as if I had met him before. He was handsome in a boyish way; he was taller than me and had a beautiful head of light brown, almost red hair. But what seemed peculiar to me was that his head was just as greasy as the boys from the school earlier. That's what it was, the greasy hair. I didn't understand what all that was about, but it made them look the same. Even though they looked so different. The Two-Bit one was silly. The Soda-pop one was handsome, brutally handsome. And the other one was just mean looking, like he hated everyone and everything could make him mad. His voice jolted me out of my thoughts, "What, I'm sorry, I wasn't paying attention"

"Are you ok? You're not hurt are you?" He asked still holding my trash.

"No, I'm fine, thanks" I went to grab for the trash, but instead, he took it to the end of the sidewalk for me.

"Thanks, that was sweet of you"

"That's the least I could do for practically running you over" I had to chuckle at that, he was right.

"Pony Boy!" I saw another boy running up towards us.

"Oh that's my brother, we were racing, and that's why I ran into you."

"Oh" I stared at him as the boy halted in front of me and Pony Boy, it was him, the romance novel boy from the office. Soda Pop.

"Hey, you are that girl from the office, the one with the younger brother?"

"Yea, good memory"

"Aw, too bad I don't remember your name, what was it again?"

"Renee, I don't remember yours either" I lied.

"Soda Pop, but you can just call me Soda, or Pop, which ever suits your fancy milady. This is my little brother, I told you about him. His name is Pony Boy"

"Nice to meet you Pony Boy" I looked at Pony Boy. Now I knew why he seemed so familiar, he was just as handsome as his brother, that's what I remembered.

He ran his hand through is hair and looked up at me sheepishly, "Yea, nice to meet you too. Sorry about before"

"Being a klutz again Pony Boy" Soda hopped in messing his hair up.

"I think the two of you have apologized enough for tonight. Thanks. I better get going though; I don't have too much time"

"Where are you headed to?" Soda asked hooking his thumbs lightly in his pockets.

"I was just going about looking to see if any place in town was hiring, I need a job."

"Yea? Well I know the Diner down the street, Jay's, they are hiring."

"Oh, really?" Why was he telling me this, I thought he didn't like me, his friends sure didn't, and I just yelled at his brother. How did I know he wasn't lying to me "Thanks, I sure will check it out."

"We can walk you over there. Girls shouldn't be walking alone on this side of town" Pony Boy offered.

"Oh no, I couldn't ask you guys to do that, that would be out of your way" Were they trying to take me somewhere and jump me or something, oh moon, this sucks. It's not like I don't appreciate it, or that I didn't want to make friends. I just, didn't trust people, most tend to screw others over. Or maybe it was me just judging them again, how horrible of me.

"Hey you didn't ask, and we're heading over that way anyway Renee, you don't have to be on the defensive so much. We ain't tryna hurt you or nothing. Look, I know you're new to this neighborhood, and this side of town, it's ok to ask for help."

He spoke the doubts of my mind, he really was a peacekeeper, and he was a peace bringer too, because I found myself walking with them. I trusted them to be of their word, and I trusted that we could be friends. I walked between the two, it was as if they were protecting me from both sides. How sweet.

We ended up talking about our families all the way to the Diner. I found out that their parents had died as well, in a car accident. Their older brother Darrel took care of them and was their guardian. They had to behave and stay out of trouble or they would be sent to a boy's home, they were just kids. Pony Boy was fifteen and Soda Pop, sadly, was only seventeen. My daydreams of him were now no longer an option. Our situations were so similar that it spooked me a little. The spirits really had a way of bringing people into each other's lives.

I told them about how my parents had died too, in a house fire while my brother and I were away visiting our Grandmother. I told them how it was just my brother and I, and how we just moved in, a few doors down from them, how ironic.

When Soda Pop told me he dropped out of school, it really disappointed me. I really want him to go back, to try, because I know he wasn't dumb like he said he was. He was too bright and handsome of a kid to just let his life go down the drain. Thank goodness Pony Boy stuck to it, and best of all he was good in English.

I told them about how I got accepted to University of Oklahoma on a math scholarship, and how hard it was to get accepted because I was half Native American. I told them how after my parents died, I couldn't go. I had to take care of my brother and work.

Soda Pop told me that I sounded just like Darrel. Darrel was going to go to University on a football scholarship, but had to work to support the family. I wonder if Darrel is just as handsome as these two, if he was, I was in a great deal of trouble. Surrounding myself with handsome men only called for trouble. And I tried to stay away from trouble as much as possible.

They walked me back home that night as well after the manager said I got the job. It was eight and Dean was probably worrying about me. We didn't even have a house phone for me to call. That would be the next thing I bought for the house.

Soda and Pony Boy were pretty good kids, they let me see a grown-up side to them, one they didn't seem to show their buddies. Who were in fact, all that the Diner. They all just liked to goof around and be kids, even though it seemed each of them had a story to tell.

I met Two-Bit Matthews properly this time. He apologized for being snippy in the office, and I apologized for being mean. He seemed satisfied with it and let it go. How nice it was to see young people not holding grudges.

Steve Randle on the other hand was still tough to please, he hardly spoke to me, but it was still progress from being angry from earlier that day. They were drinking Pepsi and talking about something called a rumble this weekend, with someone called the Socs. I still didn't know who the Socs were, but I didn't ask. I didn't know what a rumble was either, and I kept that to myself as well. When you seemed ignorant to people, they could take advantage of that, so I never told people what I didn't know till I knew it. Then, I didn't have to tell them I didn't know.

"I'll see you around boys. Be good." I said waving as I locked the gate.

"Of course Renee" Soda yelled from two houses down teasing me I know.

"Tell Dean Hello for us" Pony Boy requested from the other side of the gate.

"Of course dear, he is probably asleep by now, but you two will surely meet. Good night." I walked into the quiet house and locked the doors. Tonight was productive. I had allies, a new evening shift job, and the house was all spiffy.

Dean was fast asleep on his with the light on. He was too big for me to carry any more. I shook him away, slightly frightening him. "Hey sleepy face"

He grinned up at me, "Did you find anything"

"Well what can I say, your sister is just so awesome. I did baby bro. I will be working at the Diner called Jay's down the street ok? Now you need to go to sleep for school tomorrow"

I tucked him in to bed and turned off the light, "Sleep tight sweetie pie"

"Good night Sis" He was snoring away before I even closed his door.

I lay awake for a while in my bed thinking about what life could hold from this day forward. A new job, new house, Dean's new school, and new friends. It was hard to believe that two families could be so similar. The Spirits were trying to tell me something: Be open to new things. I was ready. Ready to better myself, ready to begin again, ready to be happy.

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